The present invention is directed to a modular apparatus and method, utilized during application of a restraint hold by a group of persons to a target person, for providing head and neck injury protection to the target person and for providing spit and bite protection from the target person to the group applying the restraint hold and to all other persons coming on contact with the target person after application of the restraining hold.
There are many thousands of human service and law enforcement agencies and facilities that provide care and supervision to aggressive, suicidal, and emotionally disturbed persons (hereinafter commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cEDPsxe2x80x9d). The staff and officers (hereinafter commonly referred to as xe2x80x9cstaff membersxe2x80x9d) working in these agencies regularly come into physical contact with the EDPs through the use of physical subduing or restraint holds when the EDP becomes aggressive. An example of an a safe and advantageous physical subduing hold is a Primary Restraint Technique (PRT) disclosed in commonly assigned Patent Application entitled xe2x80x9cAPPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SAFELY MAINTAINING A RESTRAINING HOLD ON A PERSONxe2x80x9d Ser. No. 09/442,709, filed Nov. 18, 1999.
During the process of application of a typical restraint hold, the EDP often responds with a violent struggle that may place the EDP at significant risk of head and/or neck injury. This risk is particularly great during application of prone restraint holds where the EDP may repeatedly slam their head on a hard floor surface or rub their face into carpeted surfaces creating what is commonly referred to as a carpet burn. In addition to soft tissue injuries resulting in bruises, such violent behavior may result in cervical spine damage.
Another set of problems arises when the EDP is successfully restrained by a prone restraint and repositioned by the staff members to be escorted to another location, for example on order to apply a prolonged restraint to the EDP. These problems are also very common when a standing restraint hold is applied to the EDP. The first problem is that while being escorted, the EDP may violently shake their headxe2x80x94behavior that may result in neck and cervical spine damage. In addition, such behavior may pose a danger to the staff members escorting the EDP, as the EDP may attempt to head-butt the staff members. The second problem is that EDPs may attempt to spit at and/or bite the escorting staff membersxe2x80x94a behavior that is particularly dangerous if the EDP is a carrier of an infectious disease such as AIDS, Hepatitis, and/or Tuberculosis.
Thus, it would be desirable to provide an apparatus and method to assist staff members in protecting the EDP from self-inflicted injuries during and after application of restraint holds, mechanical restraints and/or handcuffs by the staff members. It would further be desirable to provide an apparatus and method to protect staff members from harm that may be inflicted on them by the EDP during and after application of restraint holds by the staff members.
The apparatus and method of use thereof of the present invention remedies the problems and dangers associated with applying restraint holds to violent and/or struggling EDPs and provides protection to the EDP from self-inflicted injuries during and after application of restraint holds by the staff members, as well as protects the staff members from harm that may be inflicted on them by the EDP during and after application of restraint holds. In brief summary, the inventive modular apparatus advantageously provides: (1) moderate cushioning support and protection from abrasion for the EDP""s head during application of a restraint hold in form of a resilient pad, (2) an easily deployable cervical collar that protects and stabilizes the EDP""s neck and prevents neck injuries and head-butting, and (3) a readily deployable face shield that attaches to the cervical collar and that prevents the EDP from spitting on and/or biting the staff members. Furthermore, the inventive apparatus may be readily deployed in any situation that requires application of a cervical collar and/or a spit and bite guard, such as for example during an epileptic seizure experienced by a medical patient.
The inventive protective apparatus comprises three releasably attached modules: (1) a resilient pad, (2) a flexible cervical collar releasably attached to the resilient pad, and (3) a clear face shield that is releasably attached to the resilient pad and the cervical collar. The modules are arranged and attached in such a way as to make the deployment process as simple as possiblexe2x80x94the staff members position the EDP such that the EDP""s head is placed over the resilient pad and the neck is aligned with the cervical collar. The cervical collar is deployed first by detaching the collar from the pad and wrapping the collar around the EDP""s neck. The collar contains a releasable attachment mechanism, such as velcro, that facilitates adjustable application of the collar to the EDP""s neck. The pad is then detached from the face shield and then removed from under the EDP""s head by a staff member. The face shield is then wrapped around the front portion of the EDP""s head and releasably attached to the cervical collar (for example by velcro) thus forming a transparent bite and spit guard.
Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the drawings are designed solely for purposes of illustration and not as a definition of the limits of the invention, for which reference should be made to the appended claims.